Ecogood Business Canvas– the tool for founding common good
The Economy for the Common Good movement has developed a tailor-made product for founders: the interactive Ecogood Business Canvas. With this tool companies and organisations can anchor their purpose and contribution to socio-ecological change in their business model right from the start.
The tool combines the model of the Economy for the Common Good with the advantages of the well-known business model canvas.
Illustration Ecogood Business Canvas
Advantages and benefits
When founders develop their business model with the help of the Ecogood Business Canvas, they focus right from the start on the impact they want to have internally, on the market and in society. This brings benefits on all levels.
Purpose as a starting point and contribution to a good life for everyone
At the top of the Ecogood Business Canvas, we find the meaning behind the organisation to be founded, because this is where the roots of the social impact of the products and services lie. It is also of central importance to keep an eye on all the contact groups of the company:
- Social environment
- Customers and co-enterprises
- Employees
- Owners and financial partners
- Suppliers
© Knut Burmeister_alltag.li
The following steps are worked out in interaction with these contact groups, through the implementation of the four ECG value pillars:
- Human dignity
- Solidarity and justice
- Environmental sustainability
- Transparency and codetermination
The socio-ecological effect is maximized and thus a contribution is made to a good life for everyone.
For zebras and founders looking for living values
The Ecogood Business Canvas is ideal for the “zebra” target group. The start-up world uses “zebras” to describe – in contrast to “unicorns” – founders who rely on cooperation and co-creation and uphold organic growth as well as social and ecological goals. In addition, the Ecogood Business Canvas appeals to people who can no longer identify with the values lived in their professional environment and who are therefore planning either to found a new organisation or to “reorganise” an existing organisation.
Co-creation and diverse application possibilities
Ecogood Business Canvas
The Ecogood Business Canvas can be used either in poster form or as an online board. Both variants promote co-creative and playful creation. The use of Post-Its supports the visualisation and enables iterative development.
Ecogood Business Canvas Guide
A simple guide accompanies the founders in the application and directs them step by step through the entire creation of the canvas using key questions. The process can be carried out as an individual or in a team, independently or accompanied by a ECG Consultant.
Special consultancy services for founders and business incubators
Bringing in an ECG consultant can be advantageous because of the great experience they bring along. They are familiar with many ECG companies and their good practices and therefore are able to provide valuable suggestions and impetus. They support the founders in broadening their horizons and looking at their foundation through the lens of the Economy for the Common Good. It eases off the pressure of the managers, because the external support allows them to focus on their operations and content to be developed.
The support can take the form of individual coaching or a team workshop. The ECG German-speaking Consultants of your choice will work with alongside you to find the right approach. Incubators wishing to offer a workshop on creating an Ecogood Business Canvas for a group of founders should contact the Ecogood Business Canvas development team: canvas@ecogood.org.